Growing Together: A Community Approach to Adolescent Sexual Health Education

1. Sex Ed that Grows with a Child A community-wide approach to adolescent sexual health Abi Karlin-Resnick, Executive Director

2. WELCOME! I learned about puberty, sex, and sexuality from…and the information was…

3. Objectives • Identify key sources of sexual health information for adolescents and pre-adolescents. • Articulate the value of implementing a longitudinal approach to adolescent sexual health that impacts multiple adolescent health influencers. • Identify three strategies for how to implement a community-wide approach to sexual health education in their local community.

4. A little about us… 75,000 students 1,000 teachers trained 5 sexual health curricula

5. A Community-Wide Approach

6. In practice: Schools & Parents

7. In practice:Peer Education

8. In practice:Healthcare Providers

9. In practice:Media Messages

10. Role of policy-making Local, state, national policies Community-wide approach

11. CA Education Code (Section 51933) • Instruction in ALL grades (K-12) • Age appropriate • Factual info shall be medically accurate • Not reflect or promote bias • Affirmatively recognize people have different orientations – include examples • Teach about gender, gender expression, gender identity and harm of negative stereotypes • Encourage communication with parents/guardians/ trusted adults • Healthy relationships • Decision making, negotiation and refusal skills • Shall not teach or promote religious doctrine

12. CA Education Code (Section 51934) • Mandated content (at least once in grades 7/8 and at least once in grades 9-12) • STIs (incl. HIV/AIDS) – definitions, transmission, prevention, societal views • Pregnancy – prevention, all legal options • Minor access to healthcare • Sexual safety, consent, sexual abuse/violence, sex trafficking • Healthy relationships, decision-making and communication skills • Parent/trusted adult communication

13. Core curriculum components • Mixed-gender groups • Inclusive of diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and sexual identities • Interactive and participatory • Communication skills with parents, peers, and partners • Cover sexual safety and consent

14. So what does this look like?

15. Sex ed that grows with a child & Student agency • Puberty Talk: identify and communicate with a trusted adult • Teen Talk Middle School: develop internal decision making processes in regards to having sex • Teen Talk High School: develop skills to negotiate/ navigate decision making with a partner • Teen Talk High School Refresher: develop capacity to disrupt negative or unhealthy behavior in one's surroundings • Teen Talk Special Education: develop self-advocacy and support system • Parent Talk: reinforce family values and ongoing support system

26. LET’S PRACTICE!

27. Conditions for success

28. Small group discussion • Conditions for success in your community • Challenges to implementing a community-wide approach? • Strategies to implement in your community

29. Take-aways • Understand what YOUR community needs • Real community change takes time • Find your allies – students, parents, teachers, administrators, healthcare providers, policy-makers, advocacy organizations • Consistent messaging from ALL influencers • If one of your influencers can’t implement, you’ll need to adapt the role the other influencers play for youth

30. Questions?

31. Follow us! www.health-connected.org facebook.com/healthconnectedorg linkedin.com/company/health-connected @SexEdStartsHere @SexEdStartsHere

32. Want more info? Abi Karlin-Resnick abi@health-connected.org Perryn Reis perryn@health-connected.org